1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf diagnostic device for use in connection with analyzing a golf swing. The diagnostic golf device has particular utility as a training aid to assist a golfer in improving his/her swing during practice sessions at a driving range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most golfers spend a lot of time at driving ranges working on their swing in an attempt to improve their game. Diagnostic tools for analyzing the golf swing are desirable to help the golfer know what's wrong with his/her swing and when a good swing is made. Particularly when the balls are being hit into a net, so that the golfer can't visually see the results of the swing, it is important to have some form of diagnostics to inform the golfer of his/her progress or lack thereof in improving his/her game.
The use of golf diagnostic tools is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,406 to Cromarty discloses a golf training and practice apparatus, which uses a plurality of sensors and a television display system to measure the positions of a golf club head during the swing at a ball. However, the Cromarty '406 patent does not use a simple audible signal to inform the golfer whether or not a good swing occurs, and has the further drawback of requiring the golfer to study a television display between swings.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,658 to Cecchin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,036 to Hamilton, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,557 to Scannell et al. all disclose golf practice apparatus that emphasizes the balance and distribution of the golfer's weight on his/her feet during a golf swing. However, none of these patents put emphasis on determining whether or not the club head hits the mat in front of the ball, and additionally none of these provide a simple audible signal indicating when the club does hit the mat, as does the apparatus of the present invention.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,251 to Ashton discloses a golf training aid/simulator, which has an adjustable base that the golfer stands on relative to the ball to make a swing. Again, this apparatus then measures how the golfers weight is distributed between the feet during the swing. However, while the distribution of body weight is critical to a good golf swing, so is the position of the club head just prior to contacting the ball and the Ashton '251 patent does not provide a simple audible signal indicating when the club hits the ground prior to hitting the ball, as does the apparatus of the present invention.
Lastly, United States Design Patent Number D395,457 to Tsou discloses the design of a golf putting and driving practice mat, which may be of general interest and pertinent to the construction and design of the present invention. Although the Tsou '457 patent does not provide any sensors for analyzing the golfers swing, it does illustrate the typical structure of golf mats.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a golf swing diagnostic device that determines the position of the golf club head just prior to contacting the ball and provides a visible signal if the club head strikes the mat before hitting the ball.
Therefore, a need exists for a new, improved, simple and easy to use golf diagnostic device, which determines if the club head strikes the mat just prior to contacting the ball and provides a visible signal if it does, indicating that much of the dynamic energy has gone into the mat (or ground) instead of into the ball, and does not effect the golfers practice session except for a short visible light that flashes when a bad shot is made. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the golf swing diagnostic device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of helping a golfer improve his/her golf game.